Autumn’s Best Butternut Squash, Apple, and Pear Soup

The second it cools off here in New England, I start craving soup, especially when butternut squash is the star. This vegetarian, gluten-free recipe features autumn’s freshest butternut squash along with sweet, crisp apples and juicy pears. For an added pop of protein, you can incorporate cooked quinoa, toasted walnuts, and/or pumpkin seeds.

Last week, I joined Kids Cooking Green (a food literacy and hands-on cooking program based in Lexington, MA) to teach nutrition to an adorable and engaged group of elementary school kids in Boston. The theme of our class was SOUP, and thanks to the kids’ hard work, we created two soups including a warm brew made with butternut squash and pears.

These pint-sized chefs were seriously focused, and I’m happy to report that there was a lot of tasting and devouring going on after our soups were done. (Isn’t that what it’s all about?)

For the blog, I decided to tweak the soup a bit and ended up with this recipe for Autumn’s Best Butternut Squash, Apple, and Pear Soup.

When I think of autumn, squash comes immediately to mind as do apples and pears. I combined all three for this easy, vegetarian soup. Like most soups, this one is pretty versatile, and you can swirl in just about anything to make it more of a meal: quinoa, rice, nuts, leftover roasted chicken, or pumpkin seeds.

Stir in the broth, increase the heat to high, cover, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and maintain at a low boil, covered, until the squash is tender, about 30 minutes.

Use an immersion blender to puree the soup. If you don't have an immersion blender, let cool for about 15 minutes, transfer to a blender, and puree in batches until very smooth. Transfer back to the pot, reheat, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with optional toppings.

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About Liz

I’m Liz Weiss, a registered dietitian nutritionist, mom of two, and cookbook author. I’m passionate about making healthy family food that’s fun for everyone, so I welcome you to explore my blog for recipes, nutrition insights, and mealtime inspiration.